Norway considers ban of gas-fueled vehicles by 2025

As the electric vehicle market picks up speed, some countries around the world have considered banning the sale of gas-burning vehicles. According to Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv, the country’s politicians could be close to a ban on sales of gas-fueled vehicles. If approved, the move would go into effect by 2025.

Dagens Næringsliv reported that four major political parties in Norway have agreed on such a proposal. While the proposal isn’t law yet, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted a picture of the newspaper headline and described Norway as an “amazingly awesome country.” According to Electrek, the parties include those on the “right and the left.” Norwegian citizens have already taken their own steps toward a future with cleaner transportation: about 20 percent of vehicles on the road are electric.

It could be a promising step for Norway, but there’s a caveat. While the country supplies 90 percent of local energy via hydropower, Norway is still Europe’s largest producer of petroleum. 45 percent of the country’s exports are comprised of fossil fuels, which results in 20 percent of Norway’s GDP. If the proposed ban was turned into law, Fortune said it would be the “geopolitical equivalent of a drug dealer that refuses to touch their own product.”

Will the proposal become law? That’s a tricky question, as some of the conservative parties are already saying they have not yet agreed. It may take more time – several other countries and some U.S. states have considered similar proposals but have allowed far more generous timelines. By 2050, states such as California, New York, and Oregon aim to ban new sales. The Netherlands, India, Germany, the UK, and Quebec are also considering a ban on future sales.